The present invention generally relates to time clocks and timekeeping apparatuses. More particularly, the present invention relates to a timekeeping system specifically designed for monitoring employee time and automatically and wirelessly sending employee time data to a remote location.
It is common practice for employees to “clock in” and “clock out” when checking in and out of work, such as when arriving at work, taking a lunch break and leaving for the day. The use of time clocks for tracking employee attendance and duties is commonplace.
In some cases, a punch card or the like is used wherein the employee inserts a card or paper into the machine, which provides a date and time stamp. This occurs over the course of a day, week, several weeks, etc. constituting the shift or work period for the employee. The supervisor or individual in charge of payroll must physically collect the time cards at the end of the shift or work period and calculate the hours worked each day for each employee. This is a time-consuming and expensive task.
More recently, advanced versions of time clocks are electronic or digital in nature and the employee clocks in and clocks out by means of a code inputted into the device either manually or by means of a swipe card or the like. Time and attendance records can be electronically pulled from the timekeeping apparatus in a variety of ways. In one way, the timekeeping apparatus is networked to a computer which has the necessary timekeeping management software. This is often the case, for example, when the one or more time clocks are within the same building and electronically wired and connected to the building manager's computer.
However, there are many instances where such an arrangement is simply not feasible. For example, the building might not be wired for network access between different offices or locations. In yet other instances, employees work at multiple buildings or job sites. In fact, in some industries, such as the construction industry, employees and workers might work at different locations throughout a given time period. The construction industry also presents additional challenges in that the time attendance clock must be suited for outdoor use.
Applicant, Exaktime, Inc., currently offers a time attendance clock sold under the name JobClock™ which is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 7,298,673 B2, which automates timekeeping procedures while being specifically designed for outdoor use, such as at job construction sites and the like. In accordance with this time attendance system, a touch button, also referred to as a KeyTab™, manually held by the employee is touched to a portion of the time attendance clock to clock in or clock out. Periodically, a payroll manager or supervisor collects the electronic time attendance records by visiting each time clock at each jobsite and downloading the time attendance records. This is typically done every week or two and by means of a hand-held device which is capable of electronically communicating with the time attendance clock by infrared or Bluetooth.
While overcoming many disadvantages of the manual time tracking procedures and being much more durable than traditional time clock apparatuses, this device and system also presents several drawbacks. Exaktime's jobClock™ apparatus and system still requires the need to manually collect the data by requiring direct user action to collect the data. This often means a collection device is needed, such as an infrared or RF device or a computer. Collection must be performed in a specific window of time, and certainly after the desired time attendance records have been captured. A person is required to perform the collection, which must either be done at the physical location where the clock is located or the clock must be brought into the office or other collection point, making it temporarily unavailable for site usage. Of course, this causes the business to incur transportation and labor costs so that the clock can be used.
In some cases, the worker forgets to clock in when they arrive at the start of their shift or clock out, such as at the beginning of a lunch break or at the end of their shift. These missing time attendance time punches have proven difficult to deal with, particularly when the time attendance records are not collected for several days or weeks later and the missing time punches are found. Also, in the case of remote jobsites, management is not aware of who was tardy, on time, early, missing from the jobsite, etc. until several days or weeks after the fact when the data is collected and processed.
In certain industries, such as the construction industry, it is common for jobsites to initially not have AC power from the power grid, at least during the initial phases of construction, including when surveying the land, grading the land, pouring foundations, and even the initial framing of the building. During these phases, electrical power from the local municipality or power grid may not be available to all locations within the worksite, and in some cases not available to the worksite whatsoever. Some construction projects can be quite remote from the general contractor's or construction company's headquarters, and thus physically collecting the time and attendance data from the workers at the worksite is inconvenient and difficult. There are instances where a worksite may not have access to alternating current electrical power for several weeks or months, or a supervisor or the like may not be available to collect the records from the timekeeping apparatus for several weeks at a time.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a system for tracking and communicating time attendance data for workers at a remote worksite. Such a system should include a portable time and attendance device which is capable of both being battery powered as well as powered by alternating current. Such a portable time attendance device should be configured to receive and store worker time attendance data and transmit the data to a remote computer via a wireless network. Such a system and device should be designed and configured so as to conserve battery power to enable the device to operate for a prolonged period of time without the need to recharge or replace the batteries or supply power from the power grid. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.